IT’S a line call, but Opals coach Brendan Joyce says the performance by the Townsville Fire and Dandenong Rangers’ stars will go a long way to deciding tomorrow’s preliminary final.

Speaking from Dallas where he is on a development camp at the University of Texas, southern Methodist University and at the Dallas Mavericks, Joyce said the result of the finals clash was too close to call.

Directing the tactics at play in the match-up, the National Basketball League championship-winning coach said the Fire had more of the momentum than the Rangers, who were on a four-game losing streak.

But in the end Joyce believed it comes down to which of the Suzy Batkovic or the Jenna O’Hea-Leilani Mitchell combinations that shone brightest which would determine the outcome.

“I think different teams have different strengths,” Joyce said.

“I think the huge strength for Townsville is interior, in particular with Suzy and the major strength for Dandenong is in their guard position.